Irish News

New Zealand Tablet, 15 April 1915, Page 39

Irish News

GENERAL. I' The Earl of Kenmare was recently thrown from his motor car and broke his arm, but is progressing favorably. ' A list has been made up of the past students of Clongowes Wood College in tne military and naval services. They number over 250. Mr. John McGoey, assistant inspector of the Pacific Railway of the Argentine, and his brother, James, of Abbeyshrule, Mullingar, sons of Mr. Chas. McGoey, merchant, Abbeyshrule, have joined the Irish Guards. During January 57 National Volunteers left Abbeyshrule for various regiments. Mr. H. J. 1 Cullen, junior (son of Mr. H. J. Cullen, J. P., secretary Meath County Council), has just received a commission in the sth Battalion Leinster Regiment. Mr. H. J. Cullen, J.P., is a nephew of the late Cardinal Cullen, and a brother to Very Rev. P. Cullen, C.M., late President St, Vincent’s College, Castleknock. Recruiting is increasing in Limerick district. A few weeks ago Mr. McGrath, a member of the Limerick Corporation, joined the colors. Mr. Patrick O’Flynn, another Councillor, representing the Dock Ward, and an extremely popular citizen, has since volunteered for service in the Irish Brigade, to which he has been allocated. On the afternoon of February 13 another party of recruits from, Belfast arrived in Dublin en route for Fermoy to join the Irish Brigade. The detachment consisted of 200 men. At Kingsbridge they were presented with mittens, muffins, and cigarettes by Mrs. W. J. Maguire (President of the Ulster Ladies’ Association) on behalf of the members. Captain Butler, Royal Irish Regiment, son of the late General Sir William Butler, Bansha Castle, who was invalided home from the front some months ago •wounded on the head and knee by shell fragments, is now recovered, and will proceed to the front again shortly. In conversation Captain Butler referred in feeling terms to the death at, his post of duty of his gallant Clonmel orderly, Thomas Condon. With the passing away of Mother M. Stanislaus MacKeever, at the ripe age of 86, the Presentation Convent, Maynooth, has sustained a severe loss. Born at Mallow, the daughter of a well-known physician in that town, and niece of an eminent physician of the same name who practised in Dublin, Mother MacKeever made her early studies at Cabra, Dalkey, and Stephen’s Green. At the early age of fifteen she entered the Presentation Convent, Maynooth, of which her aunt, Mother M. Andrew MacKeever, was foundress, and then Superioress. On February 14 there passed away at Westport a hero of the Indian Mutiny in the person of SergeantMajor C. Coghlin, V.C. Deceased, who had reached the age of 90 years, was a native of Galway, and belonged to the old 75th Foot— now the Gordon Highlanders. At the siege of Delhi the Gordons’ officer was shot dead, and Coughlin took up command. The Kabul Gate was successfully taken, and the defending cannon captured. There is a memorial tablet and monument erected over the Kabul Gate, with Sergeant-Major Coughlin’s name on it. The people of Westport, amongst whom he lived for 48 years, deeply regret his death. NOT INTERESTED IN THEIR FAULTS. Rev. Father Bernard Vaughan was the preacher at a special service held in the Brompton Oratory in substitution of the Lourdes pilgrimage which this year has had to be abandoned owing to the war. Cardinal Bourne presided, and the congregation included King Manoel of Portugal and his Queen. In his discourse Father Vaughan spoke very warmly of Irish devotion

to our : Lady. He was proud to say : the .daughters of Erin rally to our Lady always and everywhere. People often asked him why he spoke so much 0f..-the Irish. It was because he loved them: he was not interested - in . their faults but in their virtues, and especially in their devotion to our Lady. . r| g * i Vqt; A POOR RESPONSE. ;|l ; A correspondent has sent the Glasgow Observer a copy of a Unionist newspaper published in Monaghan, which printed in its issue of January 30 a very candid complaint regarding the inactivity of the Ulster Volunteer Force in County Monaghan in the matter of joining the colors. Profound regret and disappointment are expressed that the U.V.F. in Monaghan has done so little. No wonder the writer asks; ‘ Is it a case of pure funk?’ The facts must speak for themselves. The Northern Standard reports; —‘ An appeal was made, especially to the local members of the Ulster Volunteer Force, who marched in a-body to the hall. . . Out of this large body, after listening to the speeches made, . . . only four were found possessed of manliness and spirit.’ No wonder the Northern Standard deplores this result as miserable, and candidly declares that it cannot be explained away or glossed- over. INSETTING A GOOD EXAMPLE. In Longford recently, the Royal Irish regiment, in training there for the front, decided to have a spiritual retreat to put the souls of the men into that state of preparedness desirable in those who go to face death. The retreat was given by the Rev. W. Gleeson, S.J., and for three evenings preceding the retreat, the Catholics of the regiment (and the regiment is overwhelmingly Catholic, as might be expected) marched with their officers through the town to the church to listen to the good priest’s manly and practical lectures. On the occasion, headed by their Catholic colonel and the Catholic officers, they marched to nine o’clock Mass, and there, Colonel, officers, and men all received Holy Communion together. The colonel is Lord Granard. 7 - HELP FOR THE BELGIANS. The Right Rev. Dr. Browne, Bishop of Cloyne, writes as follows to the Irish papers:—'l have been requested to send to you for publication, in grateful acknowledgment of the sympathy and generosity of our Catholic people towards the stricken Belgian nation, a statement of the proceeds of the collection for the relief of Belgian distress made by direction of the Irish Bishops in the Catholic churches of the country. Owing to local circumstances some bishops have had to postpone the collection in very many parishes of their dioceses to a later date in the present year. This will account for comparatively small sums credited to some dioceses. Even with this drawback, the total sum, .£28,352 16s 9d is, I believe, highly creditable to the practical sympathy and generosity of our Catholic people.’ LAND PURCHASE. In replying to a question in the House of Commons Mr. Birrell said: —The total amount advanced under the Irish Land Purchase Acts, 1870 to 1909, up to January 1 last, was £91,768,450, and a sum of £1,584,516 was lodged in cash by the purchasing tenants, making the total purchase money £93,352,966, the sura advanced during the year ended January 1 last being £5,764,412. The estimated purchase money of lands for the sale of which proceedings had been instituted and were pending on that date, including lands for the purchase of which the Congested Districts Board were in negotiation, but had not yet acquired, was £30,137,420. The total amount advanced under the Act of 1909 up to January 1 last was £5,132,033, and the estimated purchase money of lands pending for sale under that act on that date, including pending Congested Districts Board sales, was £8,037,929. The , figures as to purchase annuities and interest in lieu of

rent collectible by the Land Commission under these Acts, and the arrears, are not classified and abstracted tip to the date mentioned in the Question but it will be seen from the Annual Report of the Land Commission for the year ended March 31 last that during that year a sum of .£2,658,550 was collectible in purchase annuities and £1,212,591 as interest in lieu of rent in pending sales, and that the arrears on July 1 last in respect of these .sums were only £12,499 and £11,638 respectively: These arrears have since been considerably reduced. THE LORD LIEUTENANT’S DEPARTURE. The demonstration organised by the Dublin Citizens’ Committee in honor of the Marquis and Marchioness of Aberdeen and Tefnair on the eve of their official departure was a remarkable expression of the esteem and even affection which their Excellencies’ devotion to Ireland has inspired among the people of Ireland. A great public meeting, at which the Lord Mayor presided, was held in the Mansion House.& For more than an hour before the opening of the proceedings crowds began to arrive at Dawson street, and those furnished with the requisite tickets of admission proceeded to take their places in the historic meeting room. The gallery, which was unreserved, was soon crowded, and before their Excellencies arrived the body of the Round Room was occupied by a distinguished and enthusiastic assemblage. The public farewell accorded to their Excellencies on their departure from Dublin Castle on February 15 was a very striking tribute to their popularity. The citizens of Dublin had the opportunity of adding their expression of regret to the widespread feeling of sorrow which the parting with their Excellencies had evoked. It was originally arranged that the official departure should take place on Saturday, but the utterly miserable weather of the whole of that day caused the ceremonial to be adjourned, mainly because their Excellencies didn’t wish that the citizens wishing to take part in the farewell demonstration should be exposed to the discomfort of waiting for a considerable time in the incessant downpour. The alteration brought a most pleasing change in the matter of weather. Brilliant spring sunshine prevailed during the day, and under these brighter conditions the adieux extended to their Excellencies found touching and appropriate expression in a demonstration which was very impressive. It typified and evidenced how deep is the admiration which manifold endeavours on behalf of the people’s welfare, and more particularly the poor, have begotten in the hearts of those to whom the name of Lord Aberdeen, and greater still, that of Lady Aberdeen, will always remain as a synonym for the highest striving after social and charitable betterment.